biodynamic vegetable garden at Quivira

As you might imagine, lots and lots of people ask us what to see, eat and drink around these parts. So much so that by now, you’d think we have the answers down pat. This is hardly the case. With so many fantastic restaurants, wineries, galleries, boutiques and bike rides to experience, helping you plan your visit – be it a day or week – can be rather trying. (Which, by the way, is why we recommend visiting Healdsburg at least once a month.)

Of course, having too many great choices isn’t the worst problem to have. Sure, sometimes you may feel like the proverbial kid in the candy shop – paralyzed with indecision – but at least you’re in a candy shop. A candy shop packed with awesome treats like Quivira Winery & Vineyard.

There are so many reasons we love Quivira. And the exceptional wines are just the start. It’s the guiding principle and philosophy behind the wines that really appeals to us. Like Medlock Ames, they’re also a model of sustainability.  They’re solar powered and biodiverse. They use a small herd of goats for weed control. They use compost and cover crops rather than synthetic fertilizers. Chickens roam freely. Bees make honey. Some fruit from their orchards is turned into spectacular preserves. And with their 120 raised beds (crafted from salvaged redwood) they supply local restaurants with fresh produce that’s both organic and biodynamic. Oh, and if this wasn’t enough, they’re actively engaged in restoring Wine Creek, a key spawning stream for the Coho salmon and Steelhead trout. If h2hotel was a winery, we’d be Quivira’s twin sister.

We’re so crazy about them, in fact, that we rub them all over you in the Spa at Hotel Healdsburg. No joke. Their wine and honey are key ingredients in a cream for the ever-popular Wine and Honey Wrap. And their olive oil is featured in our Meyer Lemon Sage Massage. But while you can experience Quivira from the comfort of our massage table, we suggest you head down into the heart of the Dry Creek Valley and experience them in person. . Whether you want to taste wine, picnic, or learn the mechanics of biodynamic farming and viticulture, there’s something for everyone at Quivira. Especially the green at heart.

Here’s a great piece about Quivira from the San Francisco Chronicle.

And here’s Quivira’s website with all the pertinent info.

Johnny's Tavern in Healdsburg

I did a double take when I first saw the sign. Best hot dogs in Healdsburg? We have hot dogs in Healdsburg? Sure, I knew that our grocery stores and gas stations sold them, but I didn’t know of any local restaurants actively cornering the foot-long market. So I was more than a little surprised when a friend dragged me to Johnny’s Tavern one Thursday night.

“I don’t really eat hot dogs,” I protested. “Tell me again why we’re going here?”

“It’s not about the hot dogs,” he said. “It’s about the karaoke.”

“Surely we’ll be the only ones there,” I said.

“Trust me. You’ll see.”

And see I did. Upon stepping inside Johnny’s – at midnight – I witnessed something even more astonishing than the sign. The tavern was jam-packed with people hooting and hollering for a little girl singing “Ain’t No Sunshine” like the fate of Narnia depended on it. A man in a gorilla costume was dancing in the crowd. And the red and yellow walls were whimsically decorated with an array of baseball pennants, neon beer signs, band posters, LPs, an inflatable moose head, and quirky slogans like, “When only a dog’ll do…” or “Your wife called and said, ‘It’s OK to eat two.’” I remember thinking, If I was nine this would be The. Coolest. Place. Ever! Well, lucky for me, it’s every bit as fun for adults, too. Which is why you’ll find me and hoards of other “big kids” at karaoke every Wednesday and Thursday night, or the open mic on Fridays.

Owner Johnny Gavello with Karaoke Regular, Chef Rudy

As for Johnny’s claim that they serve the best hot dogs in town… I’ll buy that. They also offer a daily homemade soup, bar snacks and the requisite beer and wines. And while they won’t be picking up a James Beard Award anytime soon, that’s not really the point. Says charismatic new owner, Johnny Gavello, “I wanted to create a place that was family friendly, had halfway decent food, and where you could throw peanuts on the floor.” While those may seem like rather modest goals, he delivers those and then some. Which is why Johnny’s is about so much more than hot dogs. It’s about community and camaraderie and the chance to butcher Jimmy Buffet in front of a crowd. It’s all about feeling nine again. In a small town renowned for its Michelin starry restaurants, luxe lodging, and world-class wines, it’s nice to have a place like Johnny’s to go to. It’s nice to be able to throw your peanuts on the floor.

Johnny’s Tavern. 60a Mill Street. 707-433-3377